Half to alfeed d



(No Model.)

0. F. HEARTWELL, Jr.

BROADCAST SEE-D SOWER.

Patented me 2, 1885.

N. PETERS, Photo-Liuw mpner. Wnshingtun. D. Cv

lltnrnn ATENT tries.

osonn F. HEARTWELL, JR, or nnsaronvns, Iowa, ASSIGNOR or ONE- HALF TO ALFRED 1). PLACE, or SAME PLACE.

BROADCAST s eeo -sowsa.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,4-11, dated June 2, 1885.

Application filed November 28, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Osonn F. I'IEARTWELL, J r., of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Broadcast Seed-Sewer, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of seedsowers that are designed to be attached to a farm-Wagon and automatically operated by power transmitted from one of the wheels as the wagon is advanced over the prepared ground. Heretofore aliopper, a rotating shaft havinga seed-stirrer at its top and radial arms for scattering seeds at its bottom, and a series v of interchangeable sliding gages and cutoffs, have been combined with a baseboard in such a manner that the complete device could be attached to a wagon for the purpose of sowin g different kinds of seeds and different quantities to an acre of ground. My object is to dispense with the interchangeable sliding gages that have perforations varying in size and adapted to allow different lzinds and different quantities of seeds to pass from the hopper, as required, to regulate the quantity of each kind distributed per acre; and I accomplish the results contemplated by forming and combining a single adjustable gage and graduated scale with a base-board, a hopper, a rotating shaft, and sliding cutoffs, as hereinafter fully set forth, in such a manner that the machine can be readily adj usted, by simply turning a thumbscrew, to adapt it to sow any kind of seed, and to regulate the quantity sown upon an acre.

Figure 1 of my accompanying drawings is a top view of a section of my machine, showing the vertical portion of the hopper removed. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the line as m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is atransverse section of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top view of my adjustable gage. Fig. 5 is a top view of one of my sliding outoffs. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the machine.

Jointly eonsidered,these figures clearly ill ustrate the construction and operation of my complete invention.

A. represents the base-board, that is adapted to extend across the rear end of a wagon.

A is a narrow board of corresponding length, fixed under the front edge of the base A, to ex tend downward at right angles.

0 is a metal plate of oblong form, fixed in a corresponding depression cut into the top surface of the base A, to extend from its front edge rearward.

d is a vertical rotating shaft that extends above and below the base A and metal plate" 0, and is supported by bearers fixed to-the base A.

d is a pin fixed to the top of the shaft (Z, to extend horizontally in opposite directions,and to stir seed in the hopper as the shaft rotates, and, as required, to prevent the valves from becoming clogged.

e 0 represent a series of radial arms fixed to the same shaft at a point below the base Ain such a manner that the seeds dropped from the seed valves or openings in the bottom of the hopper will fall upon the radial arms, to be broadcast therefrom by centrifugal force as the shaft is rotated at great speed by means of drive mechanism combined therewith and connected with one of the wagon-wheels.

f f are openings, preferably circular and one and five-eighths of an inch in diameter, that extend through the plate 0 and the baseboard A, to allow seeds to pass from the hopper and drop upon the radial arms 6.

g is a hopper that is open at its top and bottom, and has a horizontal flange, g, at its bottom, by means of which it is fastened upon the base A and over the plate 0, and in a concentric position with the rotating shaft (1, by means of screw-bolts.

h is my adjustable gage, about four and a half (4%) inches Wide and ten (10) inches long, cut from a metal plate by means of a suitable die and press. It has a longitudinal slot, 11, at its rear end, adapting it to engage the shaft (1 when inserted in a cavity of corresponding form and size cut out of the base A, underneath the plate a. It also has perforations f, corresponding in shape and size with the perforationsf in the plate 0.

k is a graduated scale formed integral with the front end of the gage h by forming series of corners in the edges of its sides in such a manner that each corner will be a distinctive and plainly-visible mark and guide for adj ustthe perforations f and f in the two plates will coincide, and the gage will be therefore set, as required, to operate the machine to its full capacity. By pushing the gage inward to bring other corners and marks on .the scale 70 per.

even with the front edge of the plate 0, the openings f will be partially closed and the flow of seed restricted, as required, to diminish the quantity sown upon an acre.

m, clearly shown in Fig. 3, is an elbowshaped iron fixed to the under side of the gage h.

n is a thumb-screw that extends through a bearing formed in or fixed to the board A ,and

through a female screw formed in the lower end of the elbow m in such a manner that the gageh can be readily moved longitudinally by simply turning the thumbscrew, and retained at any point desired by means of the same screw.

0", clearly shown in Fig. 5, is one of my sliding cut-offs, made of fiat plate metal. It has a perforation, f, corresponding with the perforations in the plate 0 and gage h, and an elongated notch, s, in its inside edge, through which the shaft d will extend in such a manner that it will serve as a bearing in directing the sliding movements of the cut-offs when 4 two of them are placed in parallel position in a corresponding opening formed in the base h. By simply pushing the plates 1" rearward, the openingsf andfin the plates 0 and h will be closed and the seed retained in the hop- A reverse motion will openthem.

t is a slot in the base A, under the rear portion of the plate 0, that will allow seeds to drop that may be pushed rearward by the motion of the cut-offs r, and thereby prevent clogging.

When the openings or seed-valves f and f are entirely open, the machine will sow three bushels and a peek of wheat to an acre, and four bushels and a peek of oats to an acre.

. When the gage h is set inward to the corner ished about one bushel per acre.

marked 2, these quantities will be dimin- When set into the corner marked 4, the machine will sow about one bushel of wheat, one of oats, and one and three-fourths of flaxseed to the acre. When the gage is set into the corner marked 7, it will sow about twelve quarts of timothy-seed, six quarts of cloverseed, six quarts of Hungarian grass seed, and four quarts of millet-seed to an acre.

It is obvious that the scale 70, marked on ferent quantities upon an acre may be stamped upon the gage, or printed and attached to the hopper, or given to the purchaser and user in any formor manner desired.

I am aware that interchangeable sliding plates have been used in a similar manner in a seed-sewer; but my combination of avsingle adjustable plate or gage with a graduated scale anddevices for adjusting and holding the plate relative to a fixed plate-in. the bottom of the hopper and a rotating vertical shaft is novel and greatly advantageous, in that it enables me to dispense with a series of interchangeable slides in sowing different kinds of seeds, and different quantities at different times, by simply adjusting the sliding gage relative to the graduated scale. 1

I claim as my invention 1. In a broadcast seed-sewer, an adjustable plate having a slot at its rear end and one or more perforations for the passage of seeds, in combination with a fixed and perforated plate in the bottom of a seed-hopper, a graduated rations f, and a graduated scale, k, on its front end, the elbow-shaped bar m, and the screw 12, in combination with the base A A, having a perforated plate, 0, and a hopper, g g, fixed on its top surface, and a rotating vertical shaft having a series of radial arms", substantially as shown and described, to operate in themanner set forth ,for the purposes specified.

4. The sliding cut-offs 1, having perforations f and elongated notches s, incombinationv with the base A, the rotating shaft d, and a seedhopper having a perforated bottom, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

OSCAR F. HEARTWELL, JR. Witnesses:

THOMAS G. ORWIG, HUGH R. CREIGI-ITON. 

